We’ve lately been asked by too many people in too many places to believe only what they say and not what we see — as seen on TV.

For example, Animal Planet has brought back Steve Irwin, starring in “The Crocodile Hunter,” for the first time since the Australian naturalist/adventurer was killed on the job in 2006.

What the reruns primarily provide is a reminder that, while Irwin pretended to love the most dangerous animals (even cooing to them and calling them “sweetheart” as he invaded their natural habits), his stock-in-TV-trade was provoking them, antagonizing them, smacking them with sticks, driving a gas-powered lawn mower toward them, anything to enrage them for all the video they were worth.

Any objective viewer of “The Crocodile Hunter,” then or now, would find it extremely ironic that nature conservation endeavors on sea and on land are named in Irwin’s memory and honor.

If Irwin was devoted to conserving nature as opposed to exploiting it, the TV show that brought him fame and fortune told — and still tells — a far different tale.

Or did we not see what we just saw?

Here in New York, proponents of legalizing mixed martial arts (MMA) fighting — Ultimate Fighting, World Extreme Cage Fighting, as seen on TV — recently lost their latest lobbying effort to legalize the sport in New York State.

The promoters of the enterprise took their usual defensive stances: Few-holds-barred MMA is not a blood sport; it’s not nearly as dangerous as people might think, certainly no worse than boxing.

Okay, fine.

But then why when MMA entities seek to sell its shows as they appear on TV or pay-per-view are the promos loaded with everything its proponents claim it’s not? Such promos typically include the sight of one fighter, straddling an opponent, his knees pinning the downed man’s arms to the mat while he repeatedly punches him in the head.

Hurry, hurry, hurry! Just $34.95! Come and git yer blood, folks!

In Albany, MMA is sold to politicians as sport, as a tame, reasonably safe athletic competition.

But when it’s time to sell it to the public, it’s promoted for its remorseless and right-before-your-very eyes brutality, the latest kick, punch, knee, elbow and plasma festival, enclosed, made-for-TV street fights.

Or did we not see what we just saw?

***

There’s always one side to certain stories:

Imagine if the white father and coach of two top, white, female tennis stars was in the habit of spewing racist, anti-black tirades. And neither he nor his daughters repudiated his hate-filled harangues.

You think the father and the daughters would be granted the utmost respect and admiration from TV networks whenever a major event, such as Wimbledon, is played?

Neither do I. The father and daughters would be indulged, suffered, but nothing more. And we’d often be reminded of dad’s inexcusable and antiquated intolerance.

But Richard Williams, the father/coach of Serena and Venus Williams, has name-called whites, including his kids’ opponents — based on the color of their skin — and Jews — because they’re Jewish — yet TV grants him and his daughters nothing but the most delicate and polite treatment.

The worst ever spoken about Mr. Williams is that he’s a bit “eccentric.” Hmmm. If you didn’t know anything ugly about Mr. Williams, TV folks certainly wouldn’t tell you. Unless he was white.